Astronaut releases baby satellite

SPACEWALKING astronauts have launched a tiny Peruvian research satellite, setting it loose on a mission to observe Earth.

RUSSIAN Oleg Artemiev cast the 10cm box off with his gloved right hand as the International Space Station sailed 420km above the cloud-flecked planet on Monday. The nanosatellite gently tumbled as it cleared the vicinity of the orbiting complex, precisely as planned.